The BlackBerry KEYone is the Mercury's official name and you'll be able to get your hands on it and its QWERTY keyboard beginning in April.

After many months of anticipation, and a teasing at CES 2017, TCL Communication has now officially given the device formerly known as 'Mercury' a name, pricing, and a release time timeframe. As unveiled today at Mobile World Congress, the BlackBerry KEYone will be available globally beginning in April and will be priced at or under €599 EUR/£499 GBP/$549 USD.

Impressively designed to be distinctly different, the BlackBerry KEYone reimagines how we communicate by offering unmatched productivity and the world's most secure Android smartphone experience, said Nicolas Zibell, CEO for TCL Communication. "We're humbled to play such an important role in the future of BlackBerry smartphones, which have been so iconic in our industry, and we're eager to prove to the BlackBerry community that their excitement around this new BlackBerry smartphone is something they can be proud of as well."

The launch of the KEYone comes by way of the recent brand licensing agreement signed in with BlackBerry Limited, speaking on the relationship, Alex Thurber, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mobility Solutions for BlackBerry noted:

We want to congratulate TCL Communications on the launch of KEYone. We have worked closely with TCL to build security and the BlackBerry experience into every layer of KEYone, so the BlackBerry DNA remains very much in place. We couldn't be more excited to help bring it to market and introduce it to BlackBerry fans.

You can check out the full press release below and of course, we'll have plenty more BlackBerry KEYone content over the next little while to keep everyone busy. Let us know what you think of the full details now that they have been revealed in the comments.

DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT. DISTINCTLY BLACKBERRY.

TCL COMMUNICATION LAUNCHES ALL-NEW BLACKBERRY KEYone TO THE WORLD AT MWC 2017

BARCELONA – February 25, 2017 – Today, TCL Communication, a leading global smartphone manufacturer, unveiled a new BlackBerry smartphone to the world – the BlackBerry KEYone. This launch represents the first BlackBerry smartphone released from TCL Communication under a new brand licensing agreement signed in December 2016 with BlackBerry Limited. Offering users all the great smartphone features you'd expect – like great camera, display and design – in a distinctly different experience, the KEYone pairs the best of BlackBerry Limited's software and security with TCL Communication's commitment to delivering high-quality, reliable smartphones to customers around the world. The BlackBerry KEYone will be available globally beginning in April and will be priced at or under €599 EUR/£499 GBP/$549 USD.

"Impressively designed to be distinctly different, the BlackBerry KEYone reimagines how we communicate by offering unmatched productivity and the world's most secure Android smartphone experience," said Nicolas Zibell, CEO for TCL Communication. "We're humbled to play such an important role in the future of BlackBerry smartphones, which have been so iconic in our industry, and we're eager to prove to the BlackBerry community that their excitement around this new BlackBerry smartphone is something they can be proud of as well."

"We want to congratulate TCL Communications on the launch of KEYone," said Alex Thurber, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mobility Solutions for BlackBerry. "We have worked closely with TCL to build security and the BlackBerry experience into every layer of KEYone, so the BlackBerry DNA remains very much in place. We couldn't be more excited to help bring it to market and introduce it to BlackBerry fans."

DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT

Tucked into an anodized aluminum frame and soft touch textured back, this new BlackBerry smartphone is built to offer the best in durability while still remaining easy on the eyes. Featuring a 4.5-inch display (1620x1080 resolution / 434 PPI 3:2 aspect ratio) with Corning ® Gorilla® Glass 4 that offers greater impact and scratch resistance, the KEYone combines a touch display with a physical keyboard to give users more useable space for typing than a typical 5.5-inch all-touch smartphone.

With BlackBerry KEYone, you can forget what you knew about keyboards. The device's Smart Keyboard responds to touch gestures mimicking the heritage of the BlackBerry trackpad making web browsing, reading emails and writing messages with flick typing a much smoother and intuitive experience. This Smart Keyboard can also be easily programmed to launch up to 52 customizable shortcuts, such as pressing "I" for your inbox or "M" to access maps; providing even greater ease of use. In addition, KEYone is the first smartphone to provide the security of a fingerprint sensor built directly into the keyboard spacebar, for added functionality and security.

DISTINCTLY BLACKBERRY

Beyond the iconic BlackBerry design that's been curated for the modern user, the BlackBerry KEYone comes with a number of features and security enhancements making this smartphone distinctly BlackBerry. Out of the box, the device runs Android 7.1 – giving users access to the entire Google Play store and apps - and will receive Google security patch updates. It comes loaded with BlackBerry Hub®, bringing all your messages into one consolidated place; including emails, texts and messages from any social media account. Another benefit of BlackBerry Hub, is the ability to manage multiple email accounts without switching between apps, with support for Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Outlook, Microsoft Exchange accounts, and many other IMAP and POP3 email providers.

What really sets a BlackBerry smartphone apart from any other Android device are the enhanced security features built into every device right from the start. From a hardened operating system to BlackBerry Limited's proprietary technique for establishing a hardware root of trust adding security keys to the processor, the BlackBerry KEYone is intentionally designed to offer the most secure Android smartphone experience possible. This device comes pre-loaded with DTEK by BlackBerry, offering constant security monitoring and protection of your operating system and apps by letting you know when your privacy could be at risk and how you can take action to improve it. A quick glimpse lets you see the overall security rating for your device and provides simple access allowing you to easily improve your security status. This BlackBerry security application monitors your other apps, alerting you if one is accessing your camera to take a picture or video, turning your microphone on, sending a text message, or accessing your contacts or location.

THE BLACKBERRY KEYONE EXPERIENCE

Beyond the design and security features making the BlackBerry KEYone so distinct, these additional features truly reinvent mobile communications for the business and enterprise user. At the core of this new BlackBerry smartphone is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 mobile platform with the Qualcomm AdrenoTM 506 GPU. This means BlackBerry KEYone users will enjoy long battery life thanks to more efficient battery usage and fast LTE speeds for super-fast file sharing. It includes Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 technology, making it possible for the 3505 mAh battery on the KEYone – the largest ever in a BlackBerry device, to receive up to 50 percent charge in roughly 36 minutes. And for when you only have a few moments to grab a fast charge, BlackBerry's Boost can turbo charge your battery to get you the most charge with the limited time you have.

"We are proud to be working with TCL on the BlackBerry KEYone," said Enrico Salvatori, senior vice president and president, Qualcomm EMEA. "The Snapdragon 625 mobile platform with X9 LTE and the Adreno 506 GPU is purpose-built for users who demand superior performance and connectivity coupled with outstanding battery-life."

The BlackBerry KEYone experience would not be complete though without a great camera. That's why it includes a 12MP rear camera with the industry leading Sony IMX378 camera sensor. With a large pixel size(1.55μm) and Phase Detect Auto Focus, moments captured on the BlackBerry KEYone will be ultra crisp and clear. And for when you have to take a video conference on the go, it includes an 8MP front camera with fixed focus and 84-degree wide angle lens.
For more information about the BlackBerry KEYone and to register for pre-order updates, please visit www.BlackBerryMobile.com.

About TCL Communication

TCL Communication Technology Holdings Limited (TCL Communication) designs, manufactures and markets an expanding portfolio of mobile and internet products and services worldwide under three key brands – TCL, Alcatel and BlackBerry. The company's portfolio of products are currently sold in over 160 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, TCL Communication ranked as a top-10 global smartphone manufacturer by IDC. Headquartered in Hong Kong, TCL Communication operates nine R&D centers worldwide, employing more than 13,500 people across the globe. For more information, please visit www.tclcom.com.
TCL is a registered trademark of TCL Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Alcatel is a trademark of Alcatel-Lucent used under license by TCL Communication.

Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and EMBLEM Design are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, used under license, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.

Qualcomm, Snapdragon and Adreno are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. Quick Charge is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. Qualcomm Snapdragon, Qualcomm Adreno and Qualcomm Quick Charge are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

The name of the device is bad and the presentation was even worse. Why not giving all the details, bits and pieces in a proper professional presentation ?. They are lacking again, didn't they learn from the past ?. Yes, as a BB user we knew the most, but now that they want a piece of the Android cake, they should have been giving more detailed info why a Blackberry phone is so much different than all the other phones on the market. The phone itself is awesome I think. A multifunctional keyboard, RGB led indicator, soft leather feel back, one of the best cameras on the market, great battery life, millions of apps. If they can improve the BB hub, so you can reply or create a message from there without opening the app, this phone will definitely rock, even if it's running on Android. It's about time to switch from my BB Passport to the KEYone.

we are able to boot pc,s in dual boot mode why not a Blackberry with BB10-Droid?????it,s maybe a dream but.....and for the KeyOne seems to be as all other BB phones NO advertising as always it should be clear if you want to sell Advertise.......Create the offer Do something.... (i,m of course a BB10 user)

Just wanna say thanks but no thanks. Always loved Blackberry - recently bought a Z10 again because of BB10 os. I understand that time doesn't stand still but as bb is now android, I think I can spend less on an Honor 8 - which like Blackberry, runs android but has a different take on it. I will put the hub on it, have a notification light, and a decent size screen for a lot less money. As before, good luck blackberry, but I'm going elsewhere.

Nice looking design and hardware, but too pricey for such middle phone specs. For the price as BB Keyone or $500 you can buy Sony ZX or XZs with much higher specs It is also high quality Android phone.

I will be getting one as soon as available from my Carrier. Stop bashing and be more constructive in your comments. Wasn't a super presentation, but they device looks awesome. Release date could've been better ..... yes.

Anyways the later release date or the negative comments here won't stop me from getting one.

Was excited to see this phone unveiled, but that $700+ CDN price tag killed my enthusiasm. Can't justify paying that much for a phone with mid-range specs. I'm happy with my Priv right now. It was a bit sluggish and buggy at launch, but the updates have definitely improved those issues. I'll probably end up using the Priv for the rest of the year and look for a price drop on the KeyOne next year. As I recall, the Priv also saw major price cuts within months of launch, I bet the same thing will happen with KeyOne.

My son just bought an Iphone 7 Plus and paid $1.250.00 Canadian. I believe this phone is priced right. $500 less and we tend to upgrade our phones every 2-3 years.. has all the same common features and don't forget there is a price to pay for when a company upgrades and patches thier software every month.. there is a premium for security and the most secure Android handset.

Glad you brought up the cost of an iPhone. I wouldn't pay that much for a phone, especially since it is missing a physical keyboard! That's a much worse "deficiency" than getting a Snapdragon 625 instead of an 820. Apparently those who have actually used the KEYone find the 625 perfectly acceptable. I believe someone (Kevin?) said it was "snappy"! Too many negative comments about certain features with nothing to back it up. :-)

I have been using the BB pkb with the Bold 9900 and the Classic for a few years . Not sure why I am NOT excited about this phone. I was due for an upgrade in nov and was waiting to see this phone before jumping onto something else .Love a pkb, but not sure why I can't get ramped up about this device . Maybe its time for an all touch dtek 60? on a side note....any rumors on whats next for TCL/BB?

I'll repeat my response to Highlight on the main thread:
Hey Highflight.... That was a true gentleman's response, more so than my stern and forward words I put fwd yesterday. I am a BlackBerry user and enthusiast practically since it's inception when I changed over from my 'Palm'. I don't take back anything I said in my previous responses in my strong objection to a poorly executed presentation, the need for better risk taking (bold low pricing & better top tier internals), and overall much better marketing. I emphasize marketing, because from years of experience as an IT Director and now Director of a Commercial Real estate firm, I can confidently tell you that in today's world such practice can make the worse of products or services seem like the next God's given gift to man. I have no doubt that BB10 was a top tier OS, able to hang with and definitely out do iOS and Droid, but again, such is the product of poor timing and once again (and most of all), Marketing.... Of which 'presentations" of any kind are important. Again, I for one appreciate the great response. I also am very grateful to B1aze and Kevin of Crackberry for the years of "greatness" they have brought us, and especially Kevin's efforts to show face and enthusiasm at the KeyOne presentation. Moreover, I can't thank BlackBerry enough for keeping the train moving, in whatever method they have felt best to achieve success, as I am and continue to be a BlackBerry fan and user. Let's be honest, to this day, there just isn't another device like it, and the same goes for the upcoming KeyOne. Needless to say, I hope BlackBerry and TCL heed most of the comments on CB and from all over the internet, changing for the better years of poor marketing and business practice, something than can be easily modified for the better in today's world with proper re-channeling of resources and allocations of funds. I'll be looking for the KeyOne till something better comes along, or I miraculously improved my digital keyboard usage.... But then again, who just wants to be one of the other blades of grass in the field.... When I pull my BlackBerry out, I'm an instant attraction and feel like I'm driving a Lambo in my hand.

Blackberry are hellbent on committing suicide. There are cheaper Android devices with better features available, and the uniqueness that characterized Blackberry is now gone. If the new Blackberry Mobile wants to be just another Android phone manufacturer, fine. Keep trying to sell to a pool of buyers who are more concerned with getting the best possible view of some celebrity's nether anatomy than with security or with more convenient business use.

Can't see this surviving - like 78 rpm records, spool tapes, Betamax, and Netscape browsers, Blackberry phones will soon be dead. Crackberry is going to have to find something different to focus upon, as well.

Small correction: no others have the BlackBerry physical keyboard. They just don't offer it. That's why I got my Priv back in September in case another BlackBerry with physical keyboard didn't come out.

Did you mean check out my new BlackBerry KeyOne? If the device is marketed properly perhaps those inquiring may know? Do you think the average person can discern the difference between a G5, HTC 10, Samsung S7, DTEK60 and or iPhone in a case? The KeyOne physically looks different than any all slab devices.

This is very true. iPhones I can usually recognize in a case but the others are all generic in design. BlackBerry 's stand out amongst other devices. Also let's not forget that in the mobile world, BlackBerry and keyboard are synonymous.

The price for unlocked is on point (for what it offers that no other current phone does- a capacitive physical keyboard) Consider if this goes to carriers, as I suspect it will with TCL leading the marketing, the monthly cost will be VERY affordable and that is how a majority here in US still get their devices. The 625 has proven to be a VERY good chip with exceptional battery life. Longer battery life is a preference for most users over fractionally different real life usage in chip speed. 3GB RAM is again more than sufficient and I think the name is spot on. KeyOne is a great name for this device. Way to go TCL and BlackBerry. Together you have kept alive the physical keyboard for those that prefer it with no compromises.

Will businesses adopt this as a 'fleet' phone? Or are BBMO hoping that fatcats etc will shell out a monkey (£500) of their own cash and abandon their iPhones in favour of a PKB phone with some BB10 features?

You do realize the Samsung S8 will be 800 -1000 US dollars depending on configuration. An average of this (900) puts the KeyOne at 39 percent less per unit cost. I don't know about you but in my accounting courses that amount is material. In addition the S8 does not and will not possess a physical keyboard. The KeyOne offers functionality and usage the Samsung and all the other slabs do not.

I would have to say that BlackBerry is definitely aiming this device at the business community. While some may not be happy with the fact that it's not a gaming device, it wasn't meant to be. I personally would have liked to see something that could replace the need to carry two phones. I use one for work (BlackBerry Classic) and one for personal (Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge). Had BlackBerry crammed those two into one package, I'd be running to the store come April.
On another note.... I must agree with the views about the presentation. It really was lackluster. For a company aimed at business consumers, they should have put their best foot forward, not backward.

Just watched the replay of yesterday evening's launching event. Quite boring actually, one had to force oneself to keep on watching. Almost none of the speakers, including the host, were slick enough for such public presentation. What actually surprised me most, is the little applause one could hear from the audience. At any moment when they were applauding, it sounded like only a few tens of people actually did. It might have been a very restricted event, of course, don't know as I was not there.

What market is BlackBerry aiming? I'm in Asia right now (Indonesia /singapore /malaysia) not a single BlackBerry here. New brand like OPO everywhere, Mivo. And of course Samsung. People want to game, watch movies, sharing on social media big time.
So with the keyone, BlackBerry is not going to win consumers. The brand is not hot anymore.

Price is in line with what i paid for the Z10, Z30, pp, Priv etc. Actually, it's £50 cheaper than the Z30, £30 cheaper than the Z10 at launch, £30 cheaper than the black Passport at launch and £80 cheaper than the Priv at launch. Not that bad considering the £ has taken a 20% knock in value since June 23rd last year. I'm happy.

Glad I bought a new Passport Silver Edition a month ago. While the new Mercury looks promising, I cannot help but think it is overpriced for anyone else than current BlackBerry users and aficionados (replacement buys). In that sense it is a missed opportunity. I doubt it that many typical users looking at an iPhone or Samsung or alike would seriously contemplate the Mercury at the 600 euro price point. A missed opportunity though it would be sorely needed to sell volume if we wish the BlackBerry name on phones to continue. The specs are mid-range but sound ok for the intended use. In addition, what will not help is the P.R. build-up over the last months, culminating in a so-so formal announcement with availability no less than two months later. At this point, BlackBerry simply cannot afford to disappoint potential customers. It is regrettably not in a position like Apple, who gets away with similar attitudes. Let's hope the device sells well, all things notwithstanding. I will, however, wait until the price falls at a more realistic level, about 150 to 200 euro less than the current suggested retail price. At that point, it would be more than a fair bargain. Anyone listening at BB Mobile?

Why oh why do they not put the latest processor in. It's like they give you 90% of what you want.
Then they say oh you can't have it all. We will put a mid range processor in hahahahah. Ffs like. Idiots
This could have been a winner. But not now.
And yes I'm going over the top. But I wanted it for 10mins then they kicked me in the balls. Aggggghhhh

Go do some research on reviews of devices (Moto) utilizing the 625 and their comments on real life usage and battery life. Then if you are seriously considering a BlackBerry with a physical keyboard this will out perform existing offerings for BlackBerry 10 in both respects.

But why does everything have to do with specs? If it were so Apple or the old Nokia (with Symbian) would not succeed with their phones. Do not forget the basic rules of good product, design, performance and innovation. KeyOne (I preferred Mercury, but that does not matter now) has it all! And the price is not for specs. It's about the end product, the design, the brand. It is very easy to criticise a brand that is at the bottom of the list. Our role as consumers and followers of their products should be to support the brand. It is obvious that Apple Samsung, have the best marketing. The BlackBerry will also have, they just have to improve communication with end consumers and with bloggers like Kevin (Congratulations, by the way !!)

Yes, leave BB10 and join our mass data collecting OS so we can learn more about you! Come all! We curate ads based on our trusted HAL 9000 metadata phish analyzing profile builder catered specificly to you the user/consumer. Please let us in!! Here is a shiny new toy, just leave BB10!

I think the KEYOne looks great. I will be following to check the UK carriers for availability. Personally, this is the phone I have been waiting for (still on my Q10 but awful iPhone for work) some good noises too see reviews on the verge. Yes, this is the phone I want, with a great pkb, hub and access to some apps to keep me connected. Hurry up April

I've already criticized the price but after watching the launch video I do have a greater sense of this being a more premium device which might justify the price. $550 USD still is a lot and it's hard to get excited about buying the KEYone when there are a lot of arguable better options out there for the same price. The specs don't set it it above the others so I can only assume Blackberry Mobile thinks the preloaded Blackberry apps, PKB and quality built does that job. In the end with the demographic of a more business minded individual the specs probably aren't an issue and maybe that's enough. 1 million phones a quarter is only a quarter of a percent in market share. That might be too optimistic for 1 device (4 million a year) but would be an excellent goal.

As for the name I think its a decent name that can develop into a lasting line and catchy enough you won't forget the name as soon as you turn your head. I'm not sure if the next will be KEYtwo or KEYone 2 but for now it's a decent name. The name almost sounds like you're saying "Q1" which is reminiscent of Q10. I know Blackberries are still big in Indonesia and in Indonesian the letter "Q" is pronounced like the word "key" so to them the Q10 was more like "key-10". Who knows if it is meant to suggest this or not.

Either way, I'll wait for a year and probably pick it up for $550 CAD rather than $550 USD.

I'd love one and I've been using a Q5 for 3 years now (moved from Pearl>Q5) and I want a new Blackberry - wouldn't use anything else. I always buy the phone upfront and my budget is around £350 max. At £499 to me this is too expensive. You can get nice looking Sony Xperia phones with decent specs for about £150-£250. I'm going to stick with BB though and I will probably just have to look for a PRIV on offer or wait for the Keyone to be discounted. If it was available to preorder for £299 I would have already ordered one last night. I feel a bit empty to be honest. I want it, but not at any price.

So to many it's not worth a premium to get a physical keyboard BB device. Well the good go get a Dtek60 which is a very well received device. I had a passport years back and before that device basically started to flare up with bugs I loved it. Had considered a another passport but **** BB10 experience is only getting worse by the day. This is a low volume phone for the folks who want a GOOD PKB. You want something low volume be prepared to pay extra.

The media was hating on the device but they hated on the passport too when it came out. You can't expect the media to get their hands on a blackberry pkb device for an hour and appreciate what it can do. It takes a week or two just to get used to physical keys again. Not including how long it takes to master shortcuts. In 2017 the only shortcut you find on most phones is a dam camera shortcut. These media members or humans in general can't fathom 52 shortcuts in 30 minutes. Im happy this phone is coming. The get S**t done phones are never appreciated.

I am not sure who was more nervous during the launch the presenters or the crackberry community. Yes, there could be improvement in how the game was played out. But stop being such an over-involved fan trying to teach the coach. Every time I see a new product launch from BlackBerry, the fans treat it as if it was the last game they will ever play.

Show some enthusiasm and better days will come. Today we got a new phone, with a keyboard and the relations could not be any better between the crackberry community and the vendor. I am sure they are listening so be happy and don't overreact.

I personally think it's priced about right. if you look at any mid to high range phone price on release day this price is at the mid to lower range of pricing. And it's got some nice curb appeal. Really sexy looking phone. And in a sea of candy bar and sheep phones I like to stand out. Being it's the last in house bb design. I would of bought one regardless of price. At this price I'll buy two for about the same amount I spent on my last iphone for my kid. So I'm sold two for me please.

Umm, yeah, fail I think.
Security? Nobody cares
Durable & reliable? Nobody cares
Balanced performance with great battery life? Nobody cares.
If consumers made sense, Blackberry would've never gone down in the first place. I can see the reviews now:
- It's hasn't got a top-end CPU! Look at the mediocre game benchmarks!
- It's only got a puny 4.5" display. It's not a 4K display!
- It's not waterproof!
- It's only got 1 camera on the back! The camera is only 12MP!
Reliable phones are a death blow for phone companies. How do you sell phones that last years and years? Where has that got Blackberry in the past?

Odd thing I kept hearing through the presentation and the product page. "Most Secure Android Phone!" Why didn't they just say "Most Secure Smartphone!". What are they implying? Android is not the most secure OS? ;-)

OK, so I'll put it out there since most here have been so courteous.... the Presentation was "****"! All of the BB and TCL presenters gave a very "unsure" and "lacking confidence" performance, giving the same feeling to viewers on the device. Way too much emphasis on the Keyboard, which in essence is attractive only to the flailing BB fans and users, and as others here have already stated, too little focus on the use of Nougat, such as the multi-tasking and split screens. WAY behind when you consider the FUN and ENERGETIC release presentations from Samsung and Apple. I kept telling myself that these guys are all engineers and tech-nerds so to speak, but that was just myself trying to make up excuses to avoid where my actual thoughts and feelings were. They mentioned this was the new BB Flagship device, yet the specs are well under what is being released this year by Samsung, HTC and Apple.... what they needed to do is take a bit of a hit and release a REAL Flagship device at the $550 but with an 821 processor, 4G RAM and 64 Gigs of storage. Instead, as "cool" as it may be, they have released a mediocre device to compete against upcoming giants.
Don't even get me started on the constantly cutting live stream.... Or perhaps I should consider myself lucky to have skipped some of it.

Well, I'm still a Keyboard user and BB follower, and will say that for business power users, I don't see a better option out there... and I've used the top Samsung and Apple phones. If this new BB Mobile can get this new device to at least above average performance, and get it out FAST to to ALL carriers in the US (T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon), I think they'll at least retain current BB users, but I don't see them increasing their market share with this device.

In the end, I'm a bit disappointed, but I will be giving the Key1 a try when it is released, that is, if my digital keyboard skills and speed haven't improved, at which point I'll be looking at the Apple 8 device (can't even believe I just had to type that...).

Is the device coming to Asia anytime soon? Imho, the success of Keyone depends on whether it can attract the customer it was intended for, i.e the professional users as well as attracting the corporations. The model was stated last night as a rigid and strongly built to last. I am not sure how's that going to stand the test of changing technology. I am a Z30 user for the last 3year plus and I am hoping it is similar in size as well as cater for the apps that do not support BB10 like Waze and Whatsapp etc. Tq

People should stop whining on price etc.. pricing is OK!! Even Asus zenfone 3 running on 625 proc and full HD device is charging 550 USD. So if BlackBerry is asking 550 USD for a pkb device with solid build quality, great camera , and secured DTEK software it really makes sense to buy Ky rather than whining.

The Ky is really a very good phone and garnered lots of interests in tech world and surely get good reviews.

It's a balancing act and equation. You have to "give" the phone to networks and carriers with industry leading profit margin on one side of the equation, on the other side of the equation is consumer ownership "want/desire" when these two sides of the equation are balanced you have a winning product. Networks and carriers will push them out the door until the cows come home and consumers will purchase in quantity. However this means you have to do just enough in the tech spec department to make the phone desirable but not overcook it at the expense of profit margin.

Sadly, nowadays smartphone success or failure is rather more linked to how well the product is pushed with networks and carriers rather than the all-out technical spec, form and function. That aside why didn't they just make an Android Blackberry Passport SE with updated specs. If the keyboard on the KEYone is like the Priv it is nothing like the Passport.

All devices nowadays look the same..full tactile, screensize, specs, apps blah-blah..
we can discuss the specs vs price for hours.
if some of u just want, need, use so much the latest specs just to post on fb or twitter faster then ur neighbour...then go elsewhere for ur "honest" 600$ phone !
please ! how many stuff do we buy just for the way it looks or the way we feel having it !?
i suppose u wouldn't pay that price for the latest specs in an ugly looking phone ?
of course, evb would want all the latest technology in a sexy phone at that price...but what would come out after that :p, when we all know that a phone lasts less then 18 months in our hands before we get shaky or excited by another device

Yep, as long as it's BB, it has a physical keyboard and it's sexy, I'll pay 1-200 $ more !

Just because this device is so unique, I don't think it's overpriced. You can buy it if you like their specs and features, or you can buy an everyone else's phone for the price you like, because there are plenty of them in the market.

The only way the price point for this phone is justified is if you believe that the TCL business plan involves selling this phone in bulk to professionals, along with a few "die hard" blackberry fans.
Also it could be that the strategy involves a high initial price when the device is released because of the fan devotion, and then a price decrease in the coming months.
However this strategy will most likely not work, the market share from solely selling to business will most likely be no better than the priv, and by the time this phones price falls to a $399-$459 USD level, the S8 will have been released along with the upcoming iphone 8 in September. This phones timing is off as well, it should have been available today the latest for consumer purchase, prior to the new tech being released at MWC by companies who have considerate market share.
Its specifications are not bad for a midrange phone, but is $600 worth a phone running SC625 & a 1080x 1680 p display? Consumers have better phone options and the keyboard is not enough to justify the price, as seen with the priv. The BB passport silver edition looks identical to this phone, apart from being square and running BB10.
TCL should have either made a low-end model and a high-end model, or kept the price low so consumers can switch to a keyboard without feeling a major risk.
This high price kept consumers like myself from purchasing the phone, and getting the general populous absorbed by the product like they were with the curve and bold is the only way to revitalize the brand.
But at the end of the day i'm sure they will make some money off this phone, which is all that matters right?

Despite the sd625, as long as this is flawless and smooth ops, no heating, no lagging, great camera and pkb and last but not least looong life battery, I am sold.
I am really struggling with my priv with all of the issues, laggy, heating, slow, delayed camera shoot, and fast draining battery.

Simply too expensive once again. They better hope that they get a lot of corporate & government orders for this phone because consumers won't pay $550 USD for a physical keyboard, mid range specs & a 4.5" display.

I gotta admit though that it's a great looking phone. I'd pay $500 if it ran BB10.

I agree. I never say never, but at this point I think BB10 is the better OS so I don't see myself getting the Mercury. This is a problem because I bet a bulk of the buyers will be Blackberry faithful. You are not going to get iPhone or Samsung converts.
Even if it runs BB10, I would still think twice about it. It's not a pocketable phone! This is Z30 size which was phablet territory not so long ago.

I think this is a great new offering from BlackBerry Mobile, and it's definitely something I am considering for my next device. BlackBerry 10 is still great to me, but with that retired, having the apps I need with the security I insist on is why I will stick with BlackBerry for the foreseeable future.

/rant on
On another note, a few things seem clear to me:
- Crackberry is still full of grumpy old men who complain about every change in the weather
- Grumpy old men get up earliest and post first
- There will never be a (crafty enough name/big enough battery/fast enough processor/good enough CEO/low enough price/flashy enough marketing campaign/sexy enough keyboard/high enough resolution display or camera/days ahead like the good old days)
- There are many self-appointed experts who will truly 'feel' the difference between a 625 octa-core vs an 821 hexa-core while creating a new post for Instagram, and would like us all to be aware that it is the doom of the KEYone
- A great many of these highly vocal anchors dragging behind the ship have been indirectly responsible, through negative posts and word-of-mouth, for the lukewarm response to BB10 and now to BlackBerry secured Android. To mix metaphors, ever hear of 'shooting yourself in the foot'?
- The freaking KEYone has FM Radio! Didn't you all want FM radio?

From what i'm reading people aren't complaining about the specifications of the phone, but rather the pricing for the released specs. A lot of us are sad that BB is dying out, and the Mercury/Keyone was a reasonable chance to revitalize blackberry by providing a mid-range phone that would interest many consumers. But at the price level of the released phone, people might opt for a higher spec phone of competitors like apple and samsung. This phone appears to be following in the footsteps of the PRIV, and it is heartbreaking to watch a company with so many passionate supporters slowly fall.

Hey Highflight.... That was a true gentleman's response, more so than my stern and forward words I put fwd yesterday. I am a BlackBerry user and enthusiast practically since it's inception when I changed over from my 'Palm'. I don't take back anything I said in my previous responses in my strong objection to a poorly executed presentation, the need for better risk taking (bold low pricing & better top tier internals), and overall much better marketing. I emphasize marketing, because from years of experience as an IT Director and now Director of a Commercial Real estate firm, I can confidently tell you that in today's world such practice can make the worse of products or services seem like the next God's given gift to man. I have no doubt that BB10 was a top tier OS, able to hang with and definitely out do iOS and Droid, but again, such is the product of poor timing and once again (and most of all), Marketing.... Of which 'presentations" of any kind are important. Again, I for one appreciate the great response. I also am very grateful to Kevin of Crackberry for the years of "greatness" he has brought us, and his efforts to show face and enthusiasm at the KeyOne presentation. Moreover, I can't thank BlackBerry enough for keeping the train moving, in whatever method they have felt best to achieve success, as I am and continue to be a BlackBerry fan and user. Let's be honest, to this day, there just isn't another device like it, and the Dame goes for the upcoming KeyOne. Needless to say, I hope BlackBerry and TCL heed most of the comments on CB and from all over the internet, changing for the better years of poor marketing and business practice, something than can be easily modified for the better in today's world with proper re-channeling of resources and allocations of funds. I'll be looking for the KeyOne till something better comes along, or I miraculously improved my digital keyboard usage.... But then again, who just wants to be one of the other blades of grass in the field.... When I pull my BlackBerry out, I'm an instant attraction and feel like I'm driving a Lambo in my hand.

Willyq711 - no problem. I'm not usually a lecturer by nature, more of an encourager; however, the volume of negative comments right out of the gate by people who had never touched the KEYone was getting me annoyed.

I heard the same-but-different complaints about the PRIV, but decided for myself and bought that and it is a superb piece of work. The only negative, as perhaps for KEYone, is the price, and that always creeps lower.

I think the price is spot on for what you're getting. Pay a little more to have on time, and regular security updates, a rock solid processor/battery combo with a proven track record with the moto z play. I think this device has a real chance of carving out a nice market for itself. It's not a device built for consumers who want bleeding edge graphics in games and media consumption. It's a device meant to be used by professionals in a business setting as a fleet device.

The only thing that isn't spec'ed high is the processor. The phone isn't made to need anything more than a 625. Great battery and camera, plus the design looks to be very high quality. I think $550 is a very good price and can't wait to get it.

I sold my DTEK60 in anticipation for this device, I was guessing the price would be $500 so I was off $50, looking forward to going back to a real keyboard. Only disappointment is the wait hopefully availability will be in early April

Why are people comparing the KEYone to Nokia, Samsungs etc. It's a PKB phone, the other phones do not and cannot have a pkb COMPRENDE!. So stop making Duma$$ comparisons. If you really don't want a PKB phone, then just buy the DTEK60 with slightly better specs, and a cheaper price. Why would you buy the Clunky Nokia phone or the Not Available Samsung phone (which will probably be more expensive). Get real, and stop trolling.This phone is solid, handles like a dream (one handed typing) has a long lasting battery (that don't blow up) has Quick charging Usb 3.0 (50% charge in 26 minutes) a crystal clear display, an amazing camera, works on all the currently available bands, is FIPS certified, has Wi-FI FM radio, notification LED, and is solid as a rock, (steel frame). SO to all you trolls who chimed in just to disrupt this forumn, go jump in the .......

I had the chance to play with it for a while and I can confirm that is as comfortable as the Q10 and more than the passport. The keys felt different. I suppose they've used another technology or another type of domes.

Excellent comments, I missed a few great points that you mentioned. Even the camera is the same as the one Google Pixel uses? If you buy your phone off a carrier then the price will be more bearable for you if you can't afford it unlocked. This phone is durable, productive and a looker. It will be good to stand out again in the crowd. Ciao 4 now.

Yes I will agree that the presentation was weak but the phone itself is decent. I just watched as many reviews as possible off YouTube, and they were all good and some said the phone was great. Remember this phone is for professionals not consumers. It's for productivity and battery life hence the 625 Snapdragon. It is a premium phone, price is high according to most here? But I believe there are a lot of high end phones out there that start at 1000 plus Canadian. We BlackBerry people are amazing, we are never happy. The reviewer seemed to like a lot of their Spec. choices . Specs were chosen for battery life. Good luck, this phone to me stands out in the crowd. Most phones have become clones and ugly. This one is neither. Give it a try and see how it performs before prejudging. Once again look at the Today's reviews from reputable sites. Ciao 4 now.

No idea on candian pricing, but for £500 in the UK you can readily get any of the current (for now) flagship devices which would tend to have a faster processor, larger display, probably more memory and storage too.

Typical SD625 devices are typically in the £250-300 range, so that means a very hefty premium for the pkb on this one.

I love all the new Blackberry phones. My question is why are they only running android. I feel it would be better if they gave us an option to run BB 10. Is that possible. Would that be something they are considering. Any info would be appreciated thanks.

The launch was less exciting than it could have been because it was completely scripted. Did you notice that everyone including Kevin were looking down at the teleprompters? Kevin's videos are great because they are (seem to be!) not scripted. If he seemed less excited than his posts and videos in the past few weeks, it is because they constrained him to the script! Kevin, do not be too discouraged about some of the comments about the launch!

I played the KEYone launch video at crackberry.com. They should have edited out the long waiting period before things started. Also, the part that was missing because of the streaming glitch is still missing in the video, so I guess it didn't get recorded at all !

Seems strange that the phone has generally been received quite enthusiastically by reviewers while most comments from the BB community seem to be slagging it off. I had expected it to be the other way round!

Don't read into the comments too much, most of the people complaining on here will buy it once they hold it. The price is really not that bad when you factor in the fact that it's the only phone like it on the market, I'll agree that the presentation fell short but I could care less, my biggest gripe is the release date. As someone mentioned earlier, this would've been a totally different mood had they said it was available now. I'm still buying it, just upset that I have to use this iPhone for another month or so.

All I have to say is BlackBerry might lose some people with the release date in April. The release date should be in March. BlackBerry is going to be competing even more with a release date in April if Samsung comes out with a Galaxy around the same time.

I think 10% less, and available now, would have made this a totally different announcement.

There is something so wrong internally with whoever is the decision maker for BlackBerry, so inept, in terms of strategic yet basic business decisions. So frigging clueless ... it is really incredible to see these gross errors in pricing and rollout, over and over again. Insane already.

Kevin - Mr. Crackberry, if you're reading the posts about the event you hosted, I hope you can see there are a lot of dissatisfied fans. At least you could have advised them what they loyal fans would expect from this launch and they missed the mark and most importantly the device is overpriced when people have other options.

Since when is $549 mid range in pricing??? You can buy the Dtek60 with better specs for a cheaper price. Or is that what BlackBerry secretly wants us to do??? I'm going to keep my Passport SE which has better specs and still runs the apps I use

I ve misgivings about the price, but that can pass & is forgivable. What izn't forgivable is this lovely phone, not been available, at least for pre-order immediately. What izn't forgivable is not even having a precise date for pre-order in April. At the launch, if u can call it that, nuffing was said about the fingerprint sensor, nuffing about the Sony top grade camera. Well, saw CBK tucking one into his back pocket@ d "launch". We should get a full hands on low down sooner than later. Blackberry Mobile can screw up all they want, but I'm definitely getting this phone. There's nuffing else like it out there.

Wow! The BlackBerry community is so unsupportive of this device. It's strange to see that the Android community is actually excited but not the CrackBerry fans of all people. Not good for Crackberry future. I hope Chen does not see this.

This is the case of the Cb community overall the past few launches. It's sad to see. But people have legitimate complaints. Just not everyone here cares. I don't think it's worth the price. .but I need a new device and I like this one. So it's what I will get.. However, people that compare devices Side by side before making a purchase is not likely to choose this phone.

Doesn't matter whether it's RIM, BlackBerry or BlackBerry Mobile they all do the Same insane Blunder - OVER PRICE. This is no way a $ 549 device. It up for high time failure. Unfortunately They never learned anything. Established Chinese OEMs provides much better specs for less than $200. I know comparing isn't a cool thing but this is what most customers do, They look for Value for money products and this is no way close to that. Time Passed, scenarios Changed but sadly BlackBerry never learned. Sorry BlackBerry I guess Z30 and Passport are my last devices from YOU. $ 399-449 would have been a kill or 499 could have been more acceptable.

I was super excited for this phone to come out. Not only am I disappointed in the price but also we have to wait till April to purchase the device. April is when Samsung Galaxy 8 will go on sale. Yeah, it's not going to fair well with all the major carriers swooning over Samsung's latest offering

Comparing with the newest top 10 devices on the market with a 625 snapdragon you pay an average of 250 euro more for a keyboard, secure device, monthly update and smaller screen. The brands I compare where for example samsung C7, galaxy one, Huawei, Moto G5 plus and play, Vivo 5plus and Lenevo p2 en p2 4g and few more.

In My opinion the device should cost be around 450 but with the good sony camera a price tag of 499 is more believable to reach more people who allready leaving there online footprint with facebook and Whatsapp.

With a price of 599 euro you only reach die hard keyboard and blackberry users willing to pay that extra and trust me to say it's a select group.

Luckly we must wait a month till the device will come out and give TLC some space to rethink there price position in the market and the willing too sell.

p.s. I will use my passport and wait till a price drop or a good package deal and decide if I gone pay 599 euro for this device as die hard BlackBerry fan.

I'm basically ignoring all the hate in these comments just to jump out and say that I think it's fairly priced for a PKB Android device with a spec refresh over the Priv and great battery and optics. #takemymoney

I disagree that this is *hate* - this was played up and hyped since CES months ago, 10th anniversary, CrackBerry Kevin coming out of retirement, you don't want to miss this, rearrange your life for the launch at MWC, yada yada yada . . and then the climax of all this is a painful half-arsed presentation by people who appeared as though they couldn't have cared less? Ya, pretty disappointing because we all know that the vague "April" date will become a late April sign up for pre-order followed by a vague "coming soon" delivery date of sometime in early summer.

So many processor queens griping on here. So what if your Tinder app or WoW mobile game doesn't have perfect flow. For business, which BlackBerry is known for, price point seems fine and opens up the Android platform on a PKB device. Don't like the price, there are $304 Passports in the clearance bin.

@billkingston. I thought that most were dropping bb10 for Android because of lack of perfect flow and app gap etc. Why should a "new" device being released have customers once again expected to deal with shortcomings?

Not so much hate as disappointed. Most of these folks are solid BlackBerry enthusiasts who are seriously frustrated with how terribly these beautiful phones are shortchanged in marketing and presentation. I'm not so upset about the price as I am about how truly awful/boring the speakers were and how long its going to be before its available. Not looking for fake-hype like apple tries to generate, but c'mon these guys looked like they were embarrassed to be up there

Yes, the presentation was awful and the availability delay is pathetic. Should have been available tomorrow but that's not a surprise at all. I expect there will be a further delay in preorder availability. I cancelled my PRIV order because I could no longer wait after 2 weeks of waiting. They built such few of them and i expect the same with Keyone but will wait for it this time. I need that keyboard for my business

Not into android but was rooting for them. What a letdown presentation. And that availability was a killer.... I was seriously expecting him to say immediately or no later than March 1st. What a blown opportunity. Price is subjective based on value to individual, but sell the darn thing. No sizzle or real marketing in that. Sheesh.

Hey Mate it's not about hate, rather it's about love and care. Many of us here care more and to see such intentional moves to kill BlackBerry (which already killed BB 10) really hurts. Just for a minute clear your mind of all the biases and think rationally/logically, does this phone deserve the price tag it carries now? You just don't want the same fate befall on it which the Priv had. isn't it? We Comment, we Discuss because we care. It's much more than a simple Phone for most of us here. It is our emotions, Our love that we associate BlackBerry with.

I absolutely love Blackberry but the truth is that only selling 200000 units last quarter means only one thing. The world has moved on. I have a feeling the same will happen to HMD Nokia. The problem is Android. It's just too bloody saturated.

Terrible presentation by all speakers today, CBK was better than all the others.
Nobody on stage looked really excited IMO.
Either the camera (w software) is not on par with Pixel, or somebody needs to be fired for not highlighting that.

I'm actually satisfied with price and specs - I think its a good business device but I think they're missing the boat here because when S8 launches, NOBODY will be talking about this.

STARTING April - we all know that means pre-orders in April, shipping in May.

EXACTLY! When you have something great, that you've worked your behind off to make exceptional, you tout about it. They were completely silent about the camera, and everyone was pretty much all uninspired. Then the late release, when we have other smartphones being announced in the coming days, and the price may not be attractive enough for people to wait, even if they lose out on software, security, and keyboard. I think they are really pushing the niche Enterprise/Blackberry loyalist market.

What about carrier support, I didnt hear anything about that on top of having to deal with with the faulty video. They have had this phone all this time and they couldnt bring a live one to demo in front of everyone? I have about 7 BB10 phones and dont care about android but I still want the company to do well but with sideshows like this I am not so sure. Someone please just answer me why they couldnt have a live phone to show?

I was excited when CrackBerry Kevin came out of retirement to create buzz for the Mercury launch. Thought or hoped that BlackBerry would do a bold statement of resurrection in Barcelona. Then I watched this livestream of one of the poorest presentations I have ever seen. I knew they were never great in marketing but this was a real pain.

I think a full review of the phone might be useful when people make a decision. The processor is likely perfectly matched for its intended purpose. There are other phones using the 625 that work just fine with minimal difference between the higher spec processors in typical tasks and app usage.

It's an up-to-date octacore with decent clock speed. What would you want to do with more processing speed on this phone. The 3:2 aspect ratio means the screen won't be a great choice for media/VR/games anyway. This is a phone for work, not an enthusiast's toy.

The value is fine. The PKB with 52 programmable shortcuts is easily worth $100+, Add in the battery size, efficient processor, SD card, FL radio, Nougat, Hub+, monthly updates, etc, and $550 makes it by far the most compelling of the major brand phones for me.

This phone is a home run for me in terms of featured and value. If I switch away from BB10, this phone is a no brainer.

At this time, however, I am still happy with BB10, so it may be 1-2 years before I'm willing to buy an Android.

If you don't want a physical keyboard there is really zero reason to consider this phone anyway. Why give up the extra screen for nothing?

For me, keyboard shortcuts to my apps and frequent contacts, and the more precise text editing the PKB allows me to work faster and better, which means more money that more than makes up for the price of the phone.

The price will be dropped after those who want in immediately. This is a unique product in the marketplace mostly designed for users who love the physical keyboard experience or healthcare, business, government, professionals. Emphasis is on productivity. Battery size is encouraging. Personally I am pleased with my DTEK60, but I am hoping that this unique niche product will find a place in the market.

I understand they chose a cheap and slow processor for cost and battery savings but only 3GB RAM ensures a failed product. Phones with 3GB and an 820 cpu barely get by. Not including 4GB or more is a terrible mistake and it's so disappointing that TCL didn't overrule BlackBerry on this point. The point of having external vendors who know how to compete in specs build BlackBerry phones is to leverage their common sense to counter BlackBerry's idiotic decisions to release underpowered hardware at premium price points they can't command anymore.